Regional gray matter density associated with cognitive reflectivity-impulsivity: evidence from voxel-based morphometry

Ryoichi Yokoyama; Takayuki Nozawa; Hikaru Takeuchi; Yasuyuki Taki; Atsushi Sekiguchi; Rui Nouchi; Yuka Kotozaki; Seishu Nakagawa; Carlos Makoto Miyauchi; Kunio Iizuka; Takamitsu Shinada; Yuki Yamamoto; Sugiko Hanawa; Tsuyoshi Araki; Hiroshi Hashizume; Keiko Kunitoki; Mayu Hanihara; Yuko Sassa; Ryuta Kawashima

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0122666

Regional gray matter density associated with cognitive reflectivity-impulsivity: evidence from voxel-based morphometry

PLoS One. 2015 Mar 24;10(3):e0122666. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122666. eCollection 2015.

Authors

Ryoichi Yokoyama¹, Takayuki Nozawa², Hikaru Takeuchi³, Yasuyuki Taki⁴, Atsushi Sekiguchi⁵, Rui Nouchi⁶, Yuka Kotozaki², Seishu Nakagawa⁷, Carlos Makoto Miyauchi⁸, Kunio Iizuka⁷, Takamitsu Shinada⁷, Yuki Yamamoto⁷, Sugiko Hanawa⁷, Tsuyoshi Araki², Hiroshi Hashizume³, Keiko Kunitoki⁹, Mayu Hanihara⁹, Yuko Sassa³, Ryuta Kawashima¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tokyo, Japan.
² Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
³ Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁴ Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Department of Nuclear Medicine and Radiology, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁵ Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Division of Medical Neuroimaging Analysis, Department of Community Medical Supports, Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁶ Human and Social Response Research Division, International Research Institute of Disaster Science, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁷ Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
⁸ Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan.
⁹ Faculty of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
¹⁰ Department of Functional Brain Imaging, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Smart Ageing International Research Center, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan; Division of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Institute of Development, Aging and Cancer, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.

Abstract

When faced with a problem or choice, humans can use two different strategies: "cognitive reflectivity," which involves slow responses and fewer mistakes, or "cognitive impulsivity," which comprises of quick responses and more mistakes. Different individuals use these two strategies differently. To our knowledge, no study has directly investigated the brain regions involved in reflectivity-impulsivity; therefore, this study focused on associations between these cognitive strategies and the gray matter structure of several brain regions. In order to accomplish this, we enrolled 776 healthy, right-handed individuals (432 men and 344 women; 20.7 ± 1.8 years) and used voxel-based morphometry with administration of a cognitive reflectivity-impulsivity questionnaire. We found that high cognitive reflectivity was associated with greater regional gray matter density in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex. Our finding suggests that this area plays an important role in defining an individual's trait associated with reflectivity and impulsivity.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Analysis of Variance
Cognition / physiology*
Female
Gray Matter / anatomy & histology*
Gray Matter / physiology
Humans
Impulsive Behavior / physiology*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Prefrontal Cortex / anatomy & histology*
Prefrontal Cortex / physiology
Psychometrics
Regression Analysis
Sex Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires
Young Adult

Grants and funding

This study was supported by JST/RISTEX, JST/CREST, a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) (KAKENHI 23700306), a Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (A) (KAKENHI 25700012) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Tohoku University international Advanced Research and Education Organization. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.